UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 
AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  240 
May,  1922 

HARVESTING  AND  HANDLING  CALIFORNIA  PEARS 
FOR  EASTERN  SHIPMENT 

By  WILLIS  P.  DURUZ 


Attractive  and  honest  packing  pays  well. 

California  is  confronted  with  the  problem  of  marketing  a  rapidly 
increasing  production  of  pears.  In  1920,  California  pear  orchards 
contained  2,305,646  trees  of  bearing  age  and  2,178,526  trees  of  non- 
bearing  age,1  which  indicates  that  the  producing  area  may  soon  be 
doubled.  In  order  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  growing  good  pears,  it  is 
essential  to  use  the  most  efficient,  rapid,  and  economical  methods  of 
harvesting,  packing,  and  shipping  California  pears,  particularly  for 
Eastern  shipment. 

During  the  season  of  1921,  the  Division  of  Pomology  conducted  a 
survey  of  the  chief  pear-shipping  districts  of  the  state  to  obtain  from 
successful  pear  growers  and  shippers2  information  relative  to  the  best 

i  Fourteenth  Census  of  the  U.  S.,  1920,  Bulletin  of  California:  Agriculture. 

2  The  writer  is  indebted  to  the  following  persons  and  organizations  for  certain 
information  and  data  contained  in  this  circular;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  G.  Tucker,  A.  G. 
Wright,  the  F.  H.  Buck  Fruit  Company  of  Vacaville ;  E.  A.  Gammon,  R.  J.  Cogge- 
shall,  and  G.  B.  Greene  of  Courtland ;  F.  W.  Sweet  of  Martinez ;  D.  Howcrof t,  the 
Silva-Bergtholdt  Company,  the  Placer  County  Mountain  Fruit  Company,  the  United 
Fruit  Company,  and  the  California  Fruit  Exchange  of  Newcastle. 


2  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

methods  of  handling  pears  for  shipment.  The  equipment  and  opera- 
tions herein  described  are  for  large  orchards,  but  one  who  grows  pears 
in  a  small  way  may  apply  the  same  methods.  Some  of  the  best  packs 
of  pears,  for  example,  are  put  out  in  sheds  which  have  but  few  modern 
devices. 

HARVESTING 
WHEN  TO  PICK 

Unlike  most  other  fruits,  the  pear  develops  much  better  quality 
when  ripened  off  the  tree.  The  larger  varieties  (Anjou,  Bartlett, 
Bosc,  Cornice,  Howell)  are  generally  picked  when  they  attain  a 
diameter  of  from  2*4  to  2%  inches  or  more.  Many  growers  are  guided 
in  deciding  upon  the  time  of  picking  by  the  readiness  with  which  the 
fruit  parts  from  the  spur  when  it  is  raised  upward;  others  like  to 
see  a  little  brown  on  the  seeds ;  still  others  test  by  tasting. 

The  time  of  picking  pears  for  fresh  shipment  is  determined  partly 
by  the  size,  partly  by  the  condition,  and  partly  by  the  sugar  content. 
Just  how  green  pears  can  be  when  harvested  and  still  ripen  satis- 
factorily must  be  decided  by  each  grower  according  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  fruit  develops  in  his  particular  locality.  Newcomers  should 
seek  this  information  from  the  best  pear  growers  in  their  district.  The 
following  table  of  relative  times  of  ripening  in  the  Sacramento  Valley 
district  will  aid  growers  in  planning  harvesting  operations,  but  it 
must  be  kept  in  mind  that  there  is  a  great  variation  in  the  different 
districts. 


Variety 

Time  of  Ripening 

Madeleine 

June       —  July 

Comet 

June    3  —  July  15 

Wilder 

June  25  —  July  10 

Clapps  Favorite 

July 

Bartlett 

June  25  —  Sept.  15 

Howell 

Aug.       —  Sept. 

Beurre  Clairgeau 

Aug.  15  — Oct.      1 

Beurre  Bosc 

Sept.  15  —  Oct.    15 

Kieffer 

Sept.       —  Oct. 

Anjou 

Oct.    15  — Nov.  15 

Winter  Nelis 

Oct.    15  — Nov.  15 

Cornice 

Oct.    15  — Nov.  15 

Glout  Morceau 

Oct.    15  — Nov.  15 

Easter  Beurre 

Oct.         —  Mar. 

CIRCULAR    240]         HARVESTING   AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA   PEARS 


HOW   TO    PICK 

In  almost  all  cases  pears  for  eastern  shipment  are  harvested  in 
several  pickings,  the  largest  ones  being  picked  first,  leaving  the  smaller 
ones  on  the  tree  to  increase  in  size.  Some  growers  use  picking  rings 
to  measure  the  pears.  The  larger  pears  that  measure  2*4  to  2y2  inches 
will  not  slip  through  these  rings  and  are  picked,  while  pears  that  slip 
through  are  left  on  the  tree.  Experienced  pickers  select  pears  of 
the  proper  size,  by  eye  or  by  measuring  with  their  fingers. 

Each  pear  is  carefully  picked  by  hand,  by  a  slight  upward  turn 
against  the  spur,  and  placed  carefully  in  the  picking  receptacle,  never 
thrown  or  dropped.  Pickers  should  be  instructed  to  handle  pears  as 
carefully  as  eggs,  for  the  slightest  bruise  hastens  decay. 


PICKING    EQUIPMENT 

Picking  receptacles. — Any  type  of  picking  pail,  bag,  or  basket  is 
satisfactory  so  long  as  bruising  is  eliminated  and  sufficient  ventilation 
provided.  The  pail  should  have  holes  punched  in  it  to  allow  venti- 
lation. One  advantage  claimed  for  the  pail  is  that  careless  pickers 
may  be  readily  detected  by  the  sound  of  the  pears  when  dropped  into 
it.  Both  pails  and  baskets  are  provided  with  hooks  for  hanging  in 
the  trees  or  on  the  ladders.  Picking  bags  are  suspended  from  the 
shoulders  and  allow  the  use  of  both  hands  in  harvesting. 

Ladders. — Most  styles  of  ladders  are  satisfactory.  The  three- 
legged  ladder  is  most  commonly  used.  The  ladder  should  be  well 
constructed  of  first-class  material  and  light  enough  for  convenient 
handling.  A  strand  of  heavy  wire  should  be  tacked  on  the  lower 
steps  of  the  ladder  to  prevent  wearing  by  constant  climbing. 

Lug  boxes. — The  orchard  box,  or  lug  box,  into  which  the  fruit 
is  emptied  from  the  picking  receptacles,  should  be  of  substantial 
material,  wide  enough  to  enable  the  picking  receptacle  to  be  lowered  to 
the  bottom  for  emptying,  and  preferably  with  the  ends  raised  above 
the  sides,  so  that  when  well  filled  and  piled  one  above  the  other  there 
will  be  no  danger  of  bruising  the  contents.  The  ends  of  the  boxes 
should  have  grooves  to  facilitate  lifting. 

HANDLING    THE    PICKING    CREW 

The  foreman. — In  a  large  orchard  a  picking  foreman  is  necessary 
for  the  most  efficient  work.  In  smaller  orchards  the  owner  acts  in  this 
capacity.     The  foreman  should  have  a  broad  knowledge  of  the  pear 


4  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

industry — the  characteristics  of  the  varieties,  time  of  ripening,  and 
conditions  for  picking.  He  should  be  able  to  plan  ahead  and  to 
properly  handle  men. 

Work  of  the  pickers. — The  pickers  generally  work  in  groups  of 
two.  Each  pair  is  told  which  trees  to  pick  and  the  size  of  pears 
wanted.  When  the  picking  receptacles  are  filled  they  are  emptied 
into  the  lug  boxes.  The  receptacle  should  be  lowered  as  far  as  possible 
into  the  lug  box  and  the  fruit  carefully  rolled  out  so  as  to  prevent 
bruising.  Many  pickers  fill  the  lug  boxes  too  full  and  the  top  pears 
are  cut  or  crushed  by  other  boxes.  The  filled  boxes  should  be  kept 
stacked  in  the  shade  in  readiness  for  the  orchard  wagon. 

Pickers  are  paid  by  the  hour  rather  than  by  the  amount  of  fruit 
harvested.  The  owner  will  get  fruit  of  better  quality  when  the  pickers 
are  not  rushing  to  make  a  day's  wage.  The  pay  for  pickers  during 
the  season  of  1921  averaged  30  cents  an  hour. 

HAULING  TO  THE   PACKING   HOUSE 

The  filled  lug  boxes  are  gathered  promptly  and  transferred  to  the 
packing  house  with  the  least  possible  delay.  An  easy-riding  orchard 
spring  wagon,  built  low  for  convenient  loading,  is  used. 

PACKING 

The  packing  house. — The  types  of  structures  used  as  packing  houses 
range  from  temporary  sheds  to  permanent,  well-equipped  buildings. 
The  size  and  type  of  building  is  governed  by  the  production  of  the 
orchard.  A  well-built  frame  building  providing  good  light  and  plenty 
of  ventilation  makes  an  ideal  packing  house.  It  should  be  large 
enough  to  accommodate  packing  tables,  graders,  nailing  presses,  and 
empty  boxes,  without  crowding  the  packers  or  obstructing  the  packing 
house  operations.  A  wooden  floor  with  extending  platforms  at  the 
doors  is  desirable. 

Arrangement. — The  packing  house  should  be  arranged  in  such  a 
way  that  the  fruit  will  pass  through  the  various  operations  of  unload- 
ing, sorting,  sizing,  delivering  to  the  packers,  packing,  nailing,  stamp- 
ing, and  loading  with  the  least  amount  of  lost  motion  (fig.  1).  A 
systematic  arrangement  of  equipment  pays  well. 

EQUIPMENT 

Mechanical  sizers. — The  use  of  mechanical  sizing  machines  (fig.  1) 
is  extending  among  pear  growers.  The  rapidity  and  ease  with  which 
pears  can  be  handled  with  the  aid  of  these  machines  soon  pays  for 


CIRCULAR    240]         HARVESTING    AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA    PEARS  5 

their  purchase.  There  are  several  styles  of  sizers  which  measure  the 
diameters  of  the  pears,  or  separate  them  according  to  weight,  and 
divert  the  different  sizes  into  bins  or  pockets  from  which  they  may 
be  packed  direct.  A  satisfactory  sizer  will  accurately  separate  the 
various  shaped  specimens  without  bruising.  (It  is  believed  that 
weight  is  the  variable  that  can  be  most  accurately  measured.) 


Fig.  1. — Interior  of  a  modern  packing  house.  A  mechanical  sizing  machine 
with  belt  conveyors  increases  the  efficiency  of  packing  and  handling.  The  pears 
enter  on  two  narrow  belts  which  run  lengthwise  of  the  packing  table.  At  inter- 
vals, smaller  belts  are  fixed  at  varying  heights  running  transversely  to  the  delivery 
belts.  Pears  which  on  account  of  their  size  will  not  pass  under  the  belts  are 
diverted  into  the  bins. 


Packing  tables. — There  are  many  designs  of  packing  tables.  These 
are  usually  fitted  with  burlap  or  canvas  bottoms,  or  with  wooden 
bottoms  padded  with  various  materials.  Any  type  which  prevents 
bruising  is  satisfactory.  The  type  to  select  depends  somewhat  upon 
whether  or  not  the  pears  are  sized  before  delivery  to  the  packing 
tables.  When  packing  is  done  direct  from  a  mechanical  sizer  no 
additional  table  is  needed,  only  a  stand  or  platform  to  hold  the  pear 
box  (fig.  1).  Where  pears  are  not  sized  before  delivery  to  the  packer, 
a  table  fitted  with  a  padded  bin  for  receiving  the  fruit  is  desirable. 


b  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Nailing  press. — Properly  packed  boxes  of  pears  have  a  high  bulge 
which  must  be  compressed  for  t  nailing.  A  mechanical  press  which 
holds  the  lid  down  while  the  nails  are  driven  affords  the  best  means 
of  doing  this  (fig.  2). 

Platform  scales. — It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  each  box  of 
pears  be  of  the  required  minimum  weight.  A  set  of  accurately  tested 
scales  is  therefore  necessary  in  every  packing  house.  The  scales  should 
be  near  the  nailing  press  so  that  the  nailer  may  quickly  determine 
whether  to  add  pears  to  a  box  to  make  up  the  minimum  weight  before 
the  lid  is  applied. 

Hand  truck. — Many  packing  houses  use  one  or  more  hand  transfer 
or  "grab"  trucks  to  transfer  lug  boxes  and  packed  boxes  within  the 
packing  house  and  for  loading  the  trucks  or  cars  (fig.  3).  This  labor- 
saving  device  is  highly  recommended. 

Rubber  stamps. — The  state  standardization  law3  requires  that  all 
containers  of  fresh  pears  shall  be  labeled  with  the  variety  and  number 
per  box.  Use  rubber  stamps  bearing  these  items,  e.g.,  "Bartlett," 
"150." 

Box  material. — The  standard  pear  box  and  the  half  pear  box  are 
the  usual  containers  for  shipping  pears.  Ninety-five  per  cent  of  the 
pears  shipped  are  packed  in  the  standard  pear  box ;  the  half  pear  box 
is  used  principally  in  the  Vacaville  district  in  shipping  early  pears. 
These  boxes  come  in  the  "knock-down"  form  commonly  termed 
' '  shook. ' '  On  account  of  the  great  pressure,  the  box  material  should 
be  of  the  best  quality.  The  following  specifications  should  be  con- 
formed to : 

Standard  Pear  Box 

Ends  two  pieces  %"  X  8%"  X  11%" 

Sides  two  pieces  %"  X  8%"  X  19%" 

Bottom  two  pieces  %"  X  5%"  X  19%" 

Top two  pieces  %"  X  5%"  X  20" 

Cleats    four  pieces  %"  X    %"  X  liy2" 

Use  cement-coated  4d  special  orange-box  nails,  28  to  the  box. 

Half  Pear  Box 

Ends  two  pieces  %"  X  4%"  X  11%" 

Sides  two  pieces  1y4"  X  3%"  X  19%" 

Top two  pieces  %"  X  5%"  X  20" 

Bottom  two  pieces  %"  X  5%"  X  19%" 

Cleats  two  or  four 

pieces  %"  X    %"  X  11%" 

3  California  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Standardization  Act,  1921.  Growers  may 
obtain  copies  of  this  act  from  the  State  Department  of  Agriculture,  Sacramento. 


CIRCULAR    240]         HARVESTING    AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA    PEARS 


tip1,  ,  .  ,    *m  K             '  ^^  ,         T  ,  M 

Fig.  2. — An  excellent  type  of  nailing  press  for  pear  boxes.  Note  this  one  is 
joined  by  a  roller  conveyor  which  delivers  the  boxes  directly  to  it.  Note  also  the 
high  bulge  on  the  boxes. 


Fig.   3. — A  desirable  type  of  hand  transfer  truck, 
attached  increases  the  ease  of  operation. 


A  pair   of  plow  handles 


8  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Use  cement-coated  4d  special  orange-box  nails,  24  to  the  box. 

The  half  pear  box  is  the  standard  peach  box  which  comes  in  three 
standard  sizes,  4*4 "?  ^%">  4%",  depending  upon  the  height  of  the 
ends;  other  dimensions  are  identical. 

Labels. — The  law  requires  that  all  containers  of  fresh  fruit  shall 
bear  in  plain  sight  and  in  plain  letters  the  name  of  the  orchard  where 
the  fruit  was  produced,  the  post-office  address  thereof,  the  name  of 
the  person,  firm,  or  organization  that  ships  it,  and  the  minimum  net 
weight.  These  facts  are  generally  printed  on  a  lithographed  label 
which  is  pasted  on  the  ends  of  the  box  by  the  shipper,  or  they  are 
sometimes  stamped  or  stenciled  on  the  ends  when  the  shook  is  made 
at  the  factory.  It  is  well  for  each  grower  to  use  the  same  design  on 
containers  of  all  fruits  that  he  ships,  thus  standardizing  his  brand. 
The  size  and  shape  of  the  label  is  reduced  or  enlarged  by  the  litho- 
grapher to  fit  the  ends*  of  the  different  boxes  or  crates. 

Wrapping  paper. — Pears  are  wrapped  individually  in  paper  in 
the  same  manner  as  apples  and  peaches.  The  advantages  of  wrapping 
are : 

1.  Checks  evaporation,  thus  reducing  loss  of  weight. 

2.  Acts  as  a  cushion,  preventing  bruises  both  in  packing  and  in 

shipping. 

3.  Checks  the  spread  of  decay  by  isolating  each  specimen. 

4.  Maintains  a  more  even  temperature  of  the  fruit,  thus  prolonging 

its  period  of  consumption. 

5.  Gives  a  finished  appearance  to  the  pack,  especially  if  a  small 

attractive  design  is  printed  on  each  wrapper. 

The  wrapping  paper  varies  from  a  coarse  tissue  paper  to  a  fine 
waxed  paper.  It  is  desirable  to  get  as  good  a  grade  as  possible  with 
a  high  tensile  strength  so  that  it  will  not  tear  in  wrapping.  The  fol- 
lowing table  indicates  the  sizes  of  paper  for  the  various  packs : 

12"  X  12"  for  100  count  and  larger. 
10"  X  10"  for  110  to  165. 

9"  X  9"  for  180  to  193. 

8"  X  8"  for  210  to  245. 
7y2"  X  8".  t   for  smaller 

6"  X  7"  |       pears. 

In  ordering  wrapping  paper  figure  approximately^iifty  pounds  of 
paper  for  every  one  hundred  standard  boxes  of  pears. 

Paper  needle-hold. — A  very  handy  device  for  holding  the  wrapping 
paper  in  place  for  the  packer  is  a  small  box-like  tray  fitted  with  a 
spring  needle  to  hold  the  pile  in  place.  As  the  packer  grasps  a  sheet 
it  easily  tears  free  from  the  needle  leaving  the  rest  of  the  pile  intact. 


Circular  240]       harvesting  and  handling  California  pears  9 

Finger  or  thumb -stalls. — Nearly  every  packer  uses  a  rubber  finger 
cover  or  thumb-stall.  This  saves  a  great  deal  of  time  and  lost  motion 
in  picking  up  the  paper.  The  best  speed  is  attained  by  using  the 
finger  stall  on  the  middle  finger. 

PERSONNEL    OF   THE    PACKING    HOUSE 

Foreman  and  assistants. — The  management  of  the  packing  house 
should  be  intrusted  to  a  man  who  understands  every  detail  of  pack- 
ing and  preparing  the  fruit  for  shipment.  He  must  be  a  man  who 
can  assume  responsibility  and  get  maximum  results  from  the  packing 
house  crew.  He  should  be  assisted  by  men  or  women  of  considerable 
experience  in  the  various  packing  house  operations.  The  number  of 
experienced  assistants  he  needs  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  crew. 

Packers. — In  the  packing  of  pears,  women  and  girls  often  put  up 
a  better  pack  than  men,  but  seldom  develop  the  speed  of  the  most 
expert.  Women  and  girl  packers  are  preferred  to  men  generally, 
because  greater  returns  are  obtained  from  fewer  neat  and  attrac- 
tively packed  boxes  than  from  many  boxes  packed  in  a  hurried  and 
consequently  careless  and  inferior  manner. 

Packers  are  paid  either  by  the  hour,  by  the  box,  or  according  to 
a  combination  of  the  two  methods.  The  writer  believes  that  the  com- 
bination plan  is  the  best.  By  this  system  packers  are  paid  by  the 
hour  up  to  a  certain  minimum  number  of  packed  boxes ;  packers  who 
pack  more  than  the  minimum  are  paid  more.  For  example,  one 
grower  pays  his  packers  37  y2  cents  an  hour  when  they  pack  an  average 
of  six  boxes  an  hour ;  packers  who  pack  more  than  this  number 
receive  a  bonus  of  5  cents  a  box.  In  this  instance  a  mechanical  sizer 
is  used  and  little  sorting  is  necessary.  If  the  fruit  is  very  wormy  so 
that  packers  must  sort  a  great  deal,  paying  by  the  day  will  bring 
better  results  than  piece  work. 

Box  makers. — Making  up  the  shook  may  be  arranged  for  by  con- 
tracting with  an  expert  box  maker  or  by  getting  some  other  capable 
person.  Box  makers  are  usually  paid  by  the  box  rather  than  by  the 
hour  or  clay.  During  the  1921  season,  box  makers  received  one  dollar 
a  hundred  boxes.  The  average  number  of  boxes  made  ranges  between 
seven  and  eight  hundred  for  a  ten  hour  day,  although  some  experts 
make  as  high  as  thirteen  hundred. 

Nailer  and  inspector. — Usually  one  man  inspects  the  packed  pear 
boxes  and  nails  on  the  lids.  He  must  be  very  capable,  and  familiar 
with  the  requirements  of  the  standardization  law,  and  should  return 


10  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

any  packs  which  are  not  up  to  standard.  He  is  the  last  man  to  see 
the  pack  before  it  is  opened  on  the  market  and  the  final  responsibility 
rests  on  him. 

Helpers. — Other  operations  in  the  packing  house,  such  as  receiving 
the  fruit,  supplying  fruit  to  the  sizing  machines  or  to  the  packers, 
supplying  empty  boxes  to  the  packers,  transferring  the  packed  boxes 
to  the  nailer,  removing  cull  fruit,  and  loading  the  trucks  or  cars  are 
intrusted  to  floor  boys  or  helpers.  These  boys  must  be  alert,  energetic, 
and  strong  enough  to  perform  a  day's  work  in  a  busy  packing  house. 

OPERATIONS    IN    THE    PACKING    HOUSE 

Labeling. — Labeling  is  most  conveniently  done  before  the  boxes 
are  made.  Assuming  that  lithographed  labels  are  used,  they  should 
be  removed  from  their  bundles  and  spread  out  in  water  from  twelve 
to  thirty  hours  previous  to  pasting,  in  order  that  the  paste  may 
thoroughly  penetrate  the  paper.  Labels  that  are  put  on  dry  do  not 
absorb  the  paste  and  will  curl  up  and  drop  off  when  the  paste  has 
dried.  Likewise,  it  is  best  to  have  the  paste  made  about  twelve  hours 
before  application  so  that  it  will  stick  well.  It  should  be  made  of  a 
creamy  consistency  and  should  be  thinned  or  thickened,  depending  on 
whether  the  ends  of  the  boxes  are  smooth  or  rough.  A  convenient 
device  for  labeling  is  a  wooden  form  or  slide  of  such  depth  and  width 
as  to  accommodate  the  end  pieces  and  long  enough  to  contain  from 
thirty  to  fifty  of  them.  This  is  constructed  as  a  table  raised  about 
three  and  one-half  feet  from  the  floor. 

The  end  pieces  are  placed  side  by  side  in  this  slide  and  the  paste 
applied  to  the  entire  row  with  a  wide  brush.  The  labels  are  then  taken 
from  the  water  and  carefully  placed  on  the  end  pieces.  The  excess 
paste  is  washed  off  with  a  brush  and  clean  water.  The  labeled  ends 
are  then  stacked  until  dry. 

One  person  labels  and  stacks  on  the  average  about  1500  ends  per 
ten  hours.    The  cost  averages  about  25  cents  a  hundred. 

Making  the  boxes. — Either  a  steel  or  a  wooden  frame  on  a  nailing 
bench  is  used  to  hold  the  end  pieces  in  position  while  the  bottom  pieces 
are  fastened.  A  steel  frame  is  best  because  it  is  more  durable,  does 
not  get  out  of  alignment,  and  may  also  be  adjusted  for  other  types 
of  boxes  and  crates. 

The  box  maker  places  one  labeled  and  one  plain  end  in  the  frame 
and  nails  on  the  bottom  pieces  (fig.  4).  The  corners  should  be  made 
accurate  and  square,  and  the  nails  should  be  driven  flush  with  the 


CIRCULAR   240]         HARVESTING   AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA   PEARS 


11 


surface  of  the  wood  and  not  sunk.  Nails  whose  points  stick  out  of 
the  wood  should  be  removed.  The  half -finished  box  is  taken  from  the 
form  and  placed  on  a  lower  shelf,  and  the  side  pieces  nailed  on. 

"When  the  boxes  are  completed  they  are  stacked  by  the  nailer  close 
by  and  later  removed  by  floor  boys  and  stored  for  use. 

Receiving  and  supplying  fruit  to  the  packers. — The  lug  boxes  filled 
with  pears  are  unloaded  from  the  orchard  wagon  at  the  packing 
house  door  by  the  driver  and  the  floor  boys.  They  are  piled  on  the 
platform,  keeping  the  varieties  separate  where  necessary,  and  later 
taken  inside  the  packing  house  by  the  floor  boys. 


Fig.  4. — Making  the  pear  box. 
being  nailed. 


Note  the  end  piece  being  held  in  the  slot  while 


The  fruit  is  supplied  to  the  packers  by  several  systems  varying 
according  to  the  equipment  and  its  arrangement.  Where  mechanical 
sizing  machines  are  used,  the  pears  are  rolled  out  of  the  lug  boxes  upon 
the  belt  conveyor,  which  separates  the  sizes  and  delivers  them  to  the 
packers.  In  other  cases,  the  packers  pack  directly  from  the  lug  boxes 
and  do  their  own  grading  and  sizing.  In  still  other  cases,  floor  boys 
carry  the  lug  boxes  to  the  packers'  bins,  carefully  rolling  the  pears 
on  to  the  packing  table  so  as  to  prevent  bruising. 

Sorting. — Sorting  for  maturity,  color,  blemishes,  insect  injury, 
and  defects  of  any  kind3  must  be  given  consideration  before  packing. 

3  California  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Standardization  Act,  1921. 


12  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

This  operation  must  be  done  by  hand.  When  a  sizing  machine  is  used, 
one  or  more  persons  should  be  stationed  at  the  feeding  belt  to  examine 
the  pears  as  they  move  along  and  pick  out  fruit  not  satisfactory  for 
packing.  Finally,  it  remains  for  the  packer  to  see  that  the  fruit 
which  he  places  in  the  box  has  been  properly  sorted.  According  to 
law,  the  number  of  pears  showing  defects  must  not  exceed  10  per  cent 
in  any  one  box. 

Sizing. — After  being  sorted,  the  pears  are  separated  into  the  differ- 
ent sizes.  A  mechanical  sizing  machine  does  this  automatically.  In 
some  packing  houses  men  or  women  are  specially  detailed  to  divide 
the  pears  into  different  sizes  before  they  are  delivered  to  the  packers. 
Where  no  provisions  are  made  for  sizing,  however,  the  packers  them- 
selves are  responsible  for  selecting  the  sizes  for  the  different  packs. 
In  order  to  comply  with  the  state  standardization  laws  pears  in  the 
same  box  should  not  vary  more  than  one-half  inch  in  diameter. 

Packing  the  box. — Pears  may  be  packed  directly  from  the  lug  box 
into  two  or  three  pear  boxes,  if  the  fruit  is  not  uniform  in  size,  or, 
if  it  is  uniform,  into  one  box.  They  may  also  be  poured  into  the  bins 
of  the  packing  table  and  packed  one  box  at  a  time,  packing  first  one 
size  and  then  another.  When  the  fruit  has  been  sized,  however,  each 
packer  packs  only  one  size.  The  empty  box  is  placed  on  the  packing 
platform  or  stand.  The  packer  selects  a  pear  and  starts  to  wrap 
(fig.  5a).  He  picks  up  a  pear  of  the  proper  size  with  the  right  hand 
and  examines  it  for  insect  injury  or  other  blemishes.  At  the  same 
time  he  picks  up  a  sheet  of  wrapping  paper  with  his  left  hand.  In 
picking  up  the  wrapping  paper  care  should  be  taken  to  grasp  it  toward 
one  corner  to  allow  more  paper  to  be  finally  folded  over  the  pear 
(fig.  56).  The  pear  is  thrown  from  the  right  hand  into  the  paper 
held  in  the  palm  of  the  left  hand  with  the  stem  up,  resting  between 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  (fig.  5c).  A  little  force  is  necessary  to  break 
down  the  paper  and  bring  the  corners  into  position  for  wrapping 
with  the  least  amount  of  lost  motion.  The  corners  of  the  paper  are 
then  folded  over  the  apex  end  of  the  pear  and  the  pear  is  turned  up 
with  the  right  hand  while  the  left  hand  and  fingers  twist  the  paper 
around  the  stem  of  the  fruit  in  such  a  way  that  a  point  or  cornucopia 
is  formed  (fig.  5d).  The  pear  is  next  placed  in  the  box  with  the 
left  hand,  the  stem  pointing  toward  the  packer  (fig.  5c)  (except  the 
first  row  across  the  end  of  the  box  in  which  the  stem  points  in  the 
opposite  direction).  While  the  wrapped  pear  is  being  placed  in  the 
box  with  the  left  hand,  the  right  hand  is  reaching  for  another. 


CIRCULAR    240]  HARVESTING    AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA    PEARS  13 


Fig.  5. — Progressive  steps  in  wrapping  pears. 


14 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


The  question  may  arise  as  to  the  additional  time  required  in  wrap- 
ping each  fruit.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  packing  can  be  done  much 
faster  with  wrapping  than  without.  The  actual  time  of  wrapping  is 
but  a  fraction  of  the  total  time  involved  in  the  operation  of  packing. 
If  packed  without  wrapping  the  pears  will  often  not  remain  in  place 
well,  while  if  wrapped  they  ' '  stay  put. ' ' 

STYLES    OF  PE4P  PtiCKS 


"JAJ  "  OFFSET  "3^  "0//76OW9L 

Fig.  6. — Styles  of  pear  packs. 

Styles  of  pack. — There  are  two  styles  of  packs,  the  " offset"  and 
the  "diagonal."  The  "offset"  pack  (3X3)  is  employed  for  pears 
which  by  reason  of  their  size  will  go  five  or  more  across  the  box.  For 
pears  larger  than  this  the  "diagonal"  pack  (3X2)  should  be  used. 

1.  "Offset"  (3X3)  style.  The  first  p-ar  is  placed  in  the  left- 
hand  corner  of  the  box,  the  next  two  are  so  placed  that  the  space 
between  the  first  and  second  and  the  second  and  third  will  be  the  same 
as  that  between  the  lower  right-hand  corner  and  the  third  pear.  This 
row  is  placed  with  the  stem  pointing  away  from  the  packer.  The 
next  row  is  placed  with  the  stems  toward  the  packer,  the  pears  nesting 
in  the  spaces  formed  by  the  first  three  pears  (fig.  6).  This  is  con- 
tinued throughout  the  first  layer  with  the  stems  pointing  toward  the 


Circular  240]       harvesting  and  handling  California  pears 


15 


packer,  care  being  taken  that  the  alignment  is  kept  perfect.  In  start- 
ing the  second  layer  packing  should  begin  in  the  opposite  corner  of 
the  box  and  the  pears  placed  directly  over  the  spaces  formed  by  the 
fruits  in  the  first  layer. 

2.  "Diagonal"  (3X2)  style.  This  pack  is  similar  to  the  "offset" 
style,  except  that  it  is  started  by  placing  one  pear  in  each  corner  of 
the  box  and  a  third  pear  midway  between  them.  The  next  row  is 
placed  in  the  spaces  formed  by  these  three  (fig.  6).  The  pack  is  con- 
tinued as  described  above  for  the  "offset"  style. 

One  important  consideration  is  securing  a  proper  bulge  (fig.  2)  to 
the  completed  pack.  This  is  learned  with  a  little  practice.  The  build- 
ing of  the  bulge  should  commence  with  the  first  layer.  In  the  middle 
of  each  layer  the  fruit  should  be  slightly  larger  or  should  have  the 
stems  pointing  at  a  little  steeper  angle  upward  than  the  pears  in  the 
end.  This  is  continued  throughout  the  box  so  that  when  the  top  is 
reached  there  is  a  bulge  of  from  iy2  to  3  inches  at  the  center  of  the 
box  above  the  fruit  at  the  ends,  which  is  level. 

This  bulge  is  necessary  to  secure  a  solid  pack.  Pears  will  shrink 
considerably  in  transit  and  if  packed  loose  will  soon  be  disarranged 
and  shake  around  in  the  box,  which  results  in  bruising  and  rapid 
decay. 

The  packed  box  must  be  marked  with  the  total  number  of  pears 
contained.  This  number  can  readily  be  determined  by  using  the  fol- 
lowing table  for  reference.  By  counting  the  number  of  pears  across 
the  box,  and  the  number  lengthwise  in  two  consecutive  rows,  the  total 
number  of  pears  can  be  found  in  the  table. 


Pear  Packs 

Total 

Width 

Length 

Layers 

per  box 

4X3 

7X7 

5 

245 

4X3 

7X6 

5 

228 

4X3 

QXQ 

5 

210 

4X3 

6  X .5 

5 

193 

3X3 

6X6 

5 

180 

3X3 

6X5 

5 

165 

3X3 

5X5 

5 

150 

3X3 

5X4 

5 

135 

3X3 

4X4 

5 

120 

3X3 

6X5 

4 

110 

3X2 

5X5 

4 

100 

3X2 

5X4 

4 

90 

3X2 

4X4 

4 

80 

3X2 

4X3 

4 

70 

3X2 

3X3 

4 

60 

16  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

When  pears  are  packed  in  the  half  pear  box  the  number  may  be 
calculated  in  a  similar  manner. 

Fruit  from  the  packers. — When  the  packer  has  finished  packing 
the  box,  it  is  marked  with  the  number  of  pears,  variety,  and  the 
packer's  number  or  letter.  The  box  is  transferred  to  the  nailing  press 
either  by  a  belt  conveyor  (fig.  7)  or  by  floor  boj^s,  or  sometimes  by 
the  nailer. 


Fig.  7. — A  belt  or  roller  conveyor  is  an  aid  in  carrying  packed  boxes  to  the 
nailing  press. 

Inspection  and  nailing. — The  nailer  also  acts  as  inspector,  examines 
the  completed  packs,  verifies  the  number  that  has  been  placed  upon 
the  box  by  the  packer,  observes  the  weight,  tightness  of  the  pack, 
bulge,  and  general  fitness  of  the  box  for  shipment.  If  a  box  is  not 
satisfactory  in  all  details  it  must  be  corrected,  either  by  the  nailer  or 
the  packer.  Boxes  that  are  satisfactory  are  placed  in  the  nailing- 
press.  Pears  projecting  over  the  sides  are  pushed  in  so  that  they 
will  not  be  cut  when  the  lid  is  applied.  The  top  pieces  and  cleats  are 
laid  on  and  the  lid  pressed  down  for  nailing.  Four  5d  cement-coated 
nails  are  driven  through  each  end.  The  pressure  is  then  relieved  and 
the  box  removed  from  the  press.  For  export  shipping  the  ends  are 
bound  and  nailed  with  box  strapping. 

Stamping  and  stacking. — Stamping  of  the  number  and  variety  is 
usually  done  by  the  nailer.  The  boxes  are  then  stacked  about  five 
high,  placing  the  boxes  on  their  sides  and  not  on  the  bulge.  For  con- 
venience in  counting  and  loading,  boxes  of  the  same  variety  and  the 
same  numerical  count  should  be  placed  in  a  pile. 


CIRCULAR    240]         HARVESTING   AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA   PEARS  17 


1 1 . 

-  ;;  ■  — -    ■  '  it "" 

^^i 

*.' 

» 

"   '■  -F 

2k 

^^ 

l'l 

"'^pBp 

r:  ' 

K     ■  .s>  i+.       v*  •    it 

.'.•*«sr*r;Ef' 

mi  pp^  ! 

'P 

v  ■  : 

f 

-  +** 

v " 

\p 

?***"  H 

*P*> 

N  \  -" '    / 

1 

Fig.  8. — Loading-  packed  boxes  on  an  automobile  truck.     A  desirable  feature 
of  this  truck  is  that  it  may  be  loaded  from  the  side. 


Fig.  9. — Interior  of  a  refrigerator  car -showing  method  of  loading  and  ''strip- 
ping" the  pear  boxes. 


18  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


LOADING   FOR   SHIPMENT 

Delivery  to  the  oar. — Packed  boxes  are  delivered  to  the  refrigerator 
cars  by  wagon  or  automobile  truck  (fig.  8).  The  conveyance  should 
be  easy  riding  to  prevent  bruising  of  the  fruit.  The  load  should  be 
covered  with  a  light  canvas  to  protect  from  the  sun  and  dust.  In 
some  districts  pears  are  shipped  by  boat.  This  involves  extra  handling 
and  many  growers  feel  that  even  though  the  cost  may  be  greater, 
hauling  by  automobile  truck  is  preferable.  If  there  is  a  railroad 
siding  at  the  packing  house,  the  packed  boxes  are  transferred  direct 
to  the  car  by  means  of  hand  transfer  trucks  (fig.  3).  Other  means  of 
transfer  is  by  low  platform  trucks  which  may  be  wheeled  directly  into 
the  car. 

The  latest  device,  however,  for  loading  the  car  from  the  packing 
house  is  the  gravity  conveyor  which  permits  transfer  of  boxes  into 
the  car  on  roller  bearing  tracks. 

Loading  the  cars. — Railroad  tariff  regulations  allow  twenty-six 
thousand  pounds  as  a  minimum  load  for  a  car  of  fresh  fruit  from 
California  to  Eastern  points.  Pear  boxes  are  estimated  and  billed  at 
fifty  pounds  gross;  therefore,  it  requires  exactly  Hve  hundred  and 
twenty  boxes  for  a  minimum  car  load.  The  boxes  are  held  in  place 
by  car  strips  (fig.  9).  Following  is  the  arrangement  of  boxes  inside 
the  car : 

4  tiers  8  wide,  4  high,  32  boxes  per  tier,  128  boxes,  50  lbs.,     6,400  lbs. 
14  tiers  7  wide,  4  high,  28  boxes  per  tier,  392  boxes,  50  lbs.,  19,600  lbs. 


18  tiers  520  boxes  26,000  lbs. 

Detailed  directions  for  loading  are  supplied  by  railroad  authorities. 

THE   LABOR    PROBLEM 

The  labor  situation  is  very  important.  Keeping  the  help  satisfied, 
so  that  a  steady  reliable  crew  will  be  at  work  is  a  problem  that  calls 
for  careful  thought  and  planning.  The  grower  who  best  provides  for 
the  needs  and  comfort  of  his  workers  is  the  one  least  likely  to  have  a 
restless,  changing  crew. 

Growers  who  employ  a  large  crew  during  the  harvest  season  must 
provide  quarters  and  other  accommodations  for  their  help.  Some 
growers  supply  a  camping  ground,  with  tents  or  cabins,  beds,  stoves, 
fuel,  bathing  or  shower  conveniences,  and  a  mess  house.  The  writer 
has  in  mind  one  grower  who  provides  small  furnished  apartments  for 


CIRCULAR   240]         HARVESTING   AND    HANDLING    CALIFORNIA   PEARS  19 

his  packers  (who  are  girls  and  women).  Some  fruit  workers  prefer 
to  cook  their  own  meals,  while  others  prefer  to  board  at  the  ranch. 
In  either  case  the  grower  must  make  the  necessary  arrangements. 


COST   OF   MATERIALS   AND    OPERATION 

The  following  figures  give  the  average  cost  of  handling  pears  in 
the  Silva-Bergtholdt  Orchards  at  Newcastle  in  1921 :4 

Cost  of  production  on  trees  per  box $  .655 

Box  and  label 200 

Paper,  best  quality,  printed 085 

Making  boxes,  and  nails .015 

Picking    270 

Packing  and  lidding 110 

Hauling  040 

Loading  and  bracing 050 

Total    $1,425 


*  E.  E.  Hodges,  ' '  Production  of  Fruit  Requires  Capital, ' '  Pacific  Rural  Press, 
Vol.  CII,  No.  5,  p.  103. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


BULLETINS 


No. 
185. 

241. 
246. 
251. 

253. 

261. 
262. 

263. 
266. 

267. 
268. 
270. 


271. 
273. 

275. 

276. 
278. 
279. 
280. 

282. 

283. 
285. 
286. 
287. 
294. 
297. 
298. 
299. 
300. 
304. 


No. 

Report  of  Progress  in  Cereal  Investiga-  308. 

tions. 
Vine  Pruning  in  California,  Part  I. 
Vine  Pruning  in  California,  Part  II.  309. 

Utilization  of  the  Nitrogen  and  Organic 

Matter    in    Septic    and    Imhoff    Tank  310. 

Sludges.  312. 

Irrigation    and    Soil    Conditions    in    the  313. 

Siena  Nevada  Foothills,  California.  316. 

Melaxuma  of  the  Walnut,  "Juglans  regia."  317. 

Citrus    Diseases    of    Florida    and    Cuba  318. 

Compared  with  Those  of  California.  320. 

Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives.  321. 

A  Spotting  of  Citrus  Fruits  Due  to  the  323. 

Action  of  Oil  Liberated  from  the  Rind. 
Experiments  with  Stocks  for  Citrus.  324. 

Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings. 
A  Comparison  of  Annual  Cropping,   Bi-  325. 

ennial   Cropping,   and   Green    Manures 

on  the  Yield  of  Wheat. 
Feeding  Dairy  Calves  in  California.  328. 

Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  .Vineyard  329. 

Experimental  Drain.  330. 

The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in   Cali-  331. 

fornia.  332. 

The  Pomegranate.  333. 

Grain  Sorghums. 

Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California.  334. 

Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 

Valley.  335. 

Trials  with   California   Silage   Crops   for 

Dairy  Cows.  336. 

The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

The  Milk  Goat  in  California.  337. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  338. 

Vinegar  from  Waste  Fruits. 

Bean  Culture  in  California.  339. 

The  Almond  in  California. 

Seedless  Raisin  Grapes.  340. 

The  Use  of  Lutnbpr  on  California  Farms.  341. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  342. 

A   Study   on  the   Effects   of   Freezes   on 

Citrus  in  California. 


I.  Fumigation  with  Liquid  Hydrocyanic 
Acid.  II.  Physical  and  Chemical  Pro- 
perties of  Liquid  Hydrocyanic  Acid. 

I.  The  Carob  in  California.  II.  Nutritive 
Value  of  the  Carob  Bean. 

Plum  Pollination. 

Mariout  Barley. 

Pruning  Young  Deciduous  Fruit  Trees. 

The  Kaki  or  Oriental  Persimmon. 

Selections  of  Stocks  in  Citrus  Propagation. 

The  Effects  of  Alkali  on  Citrus  Trees. 

Control  of  the  Coyote  in  California. 

Commercial  Production  of  Grape  Syrup. 

Heavy  vs.  Light  Grain  Feeding  for  Dairy 
Cows. 

Storage  of  Perishable  Fruit  at  Freezing 
Temperatures. 

Rice  Irrigation  Measurements  and  Ex- 
periments in  Sacramento  Valley,  1914- 
1919. 

Prune  Growing  in  California. 

A  White  Fir  Volume  Table. 

Dehydration  of  Fruits. 

Phylloxera-Resistant  Stocks. 

Walnut  Culture  in  California. 

Some  Factors  Affecting  the  Quality  of 
Ripe  Olives. 

Preliminary  Volume  Tables  for  Second- 
Growth  Redwoods. 

Cocoanut  Meal  as  a  Feed  for  Dairy  Cows 
and  Other  Livestock. 

The  Preparation  of  Nicotine  Dust  as  an 
Insecticide. 

Some  Factors  of  Dehydrater  Efficiency. 

Selection  and  Treatment  of  Waters  for 
Spraying  Purposes. 

The  Relative  Cost  of  Making  Logs  from 
Small  and  Large  Timber. 

Control  of  the  Pocket  Gopher  in  California 

Studies  on  Irrigation  of  Citrus  Groves. 

Hog  Feeding  Experiments. 


CIRCULARS 


No.  No. 

70.  Observations    on    the    Status    of    Corn  160. 

Growing  in  California.  161. 

82.  The  Common  Ground  Squirrels  of  Cali-  164. 

fornia.  165. 
87.  Alfalfa. 

110.  Green  Manuring  in  California.  166. 

111.  The  Use  of  Lime  and  Gypsum  on  Cali-  167. 

fornia  Soils.  169. 

113.  Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture.  170. 
115.  Grafting  Vinifera  Vineyards. 

126.  Spraying  for  the  Grape  Leaf  Hopper.  172. 

127.  House  Fumigation.  173. 

128.  Insecticide  Formulas.  174. 

129.  The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects.  175. 

130.  Cabbage  Growing  in  California. 

138.  The  Silo  in  California  Agriculture.  178. 

144.  Oidium  or  Powdery  Mildew  of  the  Vine.  179. 
148.  "Lungworms." 

151.  Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs.  181. 

152.  Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Handling  182. 

of  Grain  in  California. 

153.  Announcement    of    the    California    State  183. 

Dairy  Cow  Competition,  1916-18.  184. 

154.  Irrigation    Practice    in    Growing    Small  188. 

Fruits  in  California.  189. 

155.  Bovine  Tuberculosis.  190. 

157.  Control  of  the  Pear  Scab.  193. 

158.  Home  and  Farm  Canning.  198. 

159.  Agriculture  in  the  Imperial  Valley.  201. 


Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 
Potatoes  in  California. 
Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 
Fundamentals    of    Sugar    Beet    Culture 

under  California  Conditions. 
The  County  Farm  Bureau. 
Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 
The  1918  Grain  Crop. 
Fertilizing   California  Soils  for  the   1918 

Crop. 
Wheat  Culture. 

The  Construction  of  the  Wood-Hoop  Silo. 
Farm  Drainage  Methods. 
Progress   Report   on   the   Marketing  and 

Distribution  of  Milk. 
The  Packing  of  Apples  in  California. 
Factors  of  Importance  in  Producing  Milk 

of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 
Control  of  the  California  Ground  Squirrel. 
Extending  the  Area  of  Irrigated  Wheat  in 

California  for  1918. 
Infectious  Abortion  in  Cows. 
A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 
Lambing  Sheds. 
Winter  Forage  Crops. 
Agriculture  Clubs  in  California. 
A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California. 
Syrup  from  Sweet  Sorghum. 
Helpful  Hints  to  Hog  Raisers. 


